O'Gara waives the Dolphins

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Ireland's fly-half and goalkicker Rona O'Gara has turned down an informal approach by the NFL's Miami Dolphins to give American football a try.

O'Gara has been confined to the replacements' bench during this season's Six Nations, firstly owing to injury and then the fine form of David Humphreys in three successive Irish wins.

"While acknowledging an informal conversation with an agent representing the Miami Dophins, I would like to categorically state my commitment to Irish rugby for the remainder of my contract, to the end of the Six Nations championship in 2004," O'Gara said in a statement.

The Wales captain and hooker Jonathan Humphreys is ready to return for Saturday's Six Nations match against Ireland after missing his side's defeat in Scotland with a shoulder injury. "I am fine in myself and more or less definite to make it," Humphreys said.

The back-row forward Martyn Williams was the stand-in against Scotland after Humphreys captained Wales in last month's defeat to England in Cardiff. Colin Charvis led the side in the opening loss to Italy.

Humphreys hailed the Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll as the best player in world rugby and Ireland the best team in this season's Six Nations. A win on Saturday for Ireland, who have not lost in Cardiff since 1983, could set them up for a grand slam decider against England at Lansdowne Road eight days later.

"I think it will be a bigger challenge than playing against England. Ireland are currently playing better than England, and they've also got the best player in world rugby [O'Driscoll] at the moment. They are the best team in the championship, and you would bound to feel confident if you were in their position."

The Scotland international Duncan Hodge also believes England's world No1 ranking is open to debate.

"It is difficult to gauge whether England deserve to be No1 in the world. They are an excellent team and are right at the top of their game. You only have to look at their results to see how good they are. But a lot of those wins have come at Twickenham and the real test will be doing it away from home too."